


Aftermath of a Destiny Gone Awry

by im_the_king_of_the_ocean



Series: Scenes of the Winter Maiden [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, Hospitals, Injury Recovery, Spoilers: Volume 7 (RWBY)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:20:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22576972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean
Summary: Ironwood visits Winter in her hospital room after her (and Penny's) fight against Cinder over the Winter Maiden.
Relationships: James Ironwood & Winter Schnee
Series: Scenes of the Winter Maiden [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1624462
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	Aftermath of a Destiny Gone Awry

Winter hears Ironwood’s thunderous footsteps before he arrives at her hospital room.They pause just outside the door.She imagines he’s taking a breath to compose himself before entering.Winter knows this next conversation between them won’t be easy.She’s prepared herself, but she still hopes it will come to a swift end.All she has to do, Winter reminds herself, is give him a report on what happened.How she presents the facts is crucial, but, once it’s over, it’ll be over.She just has to get through it.

Ironwood opens the door.Winter hears it click shut behind him.She instinctively tenses.She reminds herself Ironwood isn’t Father.Ironwood has much more control over his emotions.She always saw it as one of the general’s more admirable traits.

“What happened?”Ironwood asks.He tone is painstakingly neutral.Calm, collected.It’s respectable.

“I went to retrieve the maiden powers.”Winter pauses.She considers omitting Penny’s role, but the android’s absence is going to become a matter of questioning sooner rather than later.Winter already gave them a head start.“Penny arrived to act as my guard.We made our way to Fria.Before we could begin the transfer, Cinder arrived.We fought.”

“Cinder has the powers, then,” Ironwood interrupts.“It’s worse than I thought.I—“

“Cinder doesn’t.”Again, Winter hesitates, but it’s her duty to report truthfully.“I was able to hold her off long enough for Fria to transfer the power of the Winter Maiden to Penny.”

“What?!”Ironwood’s controlled demeanor cracks.“How could—Penny’s not even a _real_ —!”

“She’s real enough to become the Winter Maiden.”Winter looks down at her hands.It still hurts.She made it _her_ destiny.She took _pride_ in knowing she would become the next maiden.For that to be taken away from her, even by Penny, pains her.

“This, this can still work.”Winter watches the machinations of Ironwood’s mind spin as he speaks.“Penny is completely under my control,” he says in a way that makes her think he’s reassuring himself more than telling her.

Winter never liked how he’d refer to Penny like that, like an object.It reminds her too much of her childhood, of the years she’d spent as the Schnee Heiress her father thought he could control like a puppet.Winter quietly tried to change Ironwood’s thinking over the years, and privately hoped Penny’s own exuberant personality would help him recognize her individuality.Things had clearly not progressed enough.Though, this is a stressful situation, Winter reminds herself.Ironwood can’t be expected to be his best self when so much is falling apart.

“Penny.Penny, come in.Report.”

There’s a part of Winter that’s relieved Ironwood has gone on the comms instead of asking her why Penny isn’t there with them.

There’s a sharp gasp that abruptly cuts off on the other end of the line.Despite the distance between herself and Ironwood, Winter hears it clearly.She can almost imagine the hurried conversation going on between Penny, Weiss, and their friends as they attempt to figure out how to respond to the general.

“ _Penny_.”Ironwood’s tone turns sharp.“I command you to report in. _Now_!”

“Yes, sir?Penny’s voice is hesitant, scared over the crackle of the comms.Winter doesn’t blame her.She’s seen the price insubordination comes at in the Atlesian Military.She knows Penny has too.

“Where are you?Why didn’t you stay with Winter?You need to get back to the academy this instant.I know you have the powers.Everything depends—”

“I cannot do that, sir.”

“WHAT!”

“I will not leave Mantle to die. _Sir_.”

“That is not your call to make, Penny.You are property of the Atlesian Military.You were built to follow orders.You will _follow orders_.What would your father think if he knew you were being a disobedient, petulant, little—”

The comms line goes dead before Ironwood can get the rest of his statement out. 

Ironwood slams his fist into the wall, denting it.He snarls, “I never should have approved that project!I wouldn’t have if I’d known she’d be a—” he cuts off when he sees Winter watching him with an apprehensive expression.“I apologize.”He composes himself.“You’ve done enough for today, Winter.Rest.The fight ahead will be difficult.I’ll need you.”He leaves the room.

Winter exhales the breath she’s been holding.Despite making it through the conversation relatively alright, she worries for the future.


End file.
